Monday, December 26, 2011

* This post really has nothing to do with Chariots of Fire, I just needed a blog heading.

I’ve been watching movies from the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, as well as a few others, for a little over two years now. So since I’ve seen 272 films so far and taking into account supplemental volumes with additional movies in it…I’ll be finished—uh, probably never. But I’ll keep trying.

Things I’ve learned since I’ve started watching movies from The 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book.

1. It’s good not to read the plot synopsis in the 1001 movie book before you watch the movie because they usually give away the ending.2. It’s good to watch these movies in some kind of sequence: Like a week of
1940’s films, Italian films or Documentary films. I honestly was going to watch One Eyed Jacks, Two-Lane Blacktop, Three Kings, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Five Easy Pieces, The Sixth Sense, The Seven Samurai, 8 ½, Nine-Teen Hundred, The Ten Commandments, Ocean’s Eleven and Twelve Angry Men on consecutive nights until I realized neither version of Ocean’s Eleven was in the book, I was cheating on the number 9 and that I probably needed to get back on my medication and abandon this whole thread.3. There are things in life other than watching a movie and trying to come up with something original to say about it…I just can’t remember what.4. That the 1001 movie book loves French films and Westerns, but very few French Westerns.5. And that I just want to be loved. Is that so wrong?

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Brent Musberger: We are…LIVE from Pauley Pavilion for the 3rd annual finale of the 64 film tournament as the battle for the definitive Christmas movie sweepstakes has reached its highly anticipated climax.

To recap: A Christmas Story defeated Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Black Christmas (which forfeited for being directed by A Christmas Story director Bob Clark and therefore creating a conflict of interest), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and Holiday Inn to reach the final four where the instant classic last second victory over the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol earned the coming of age story of Ralphie and his hunt for a Red Ryder BB gun a spot in the finals.

In the other bracket, It’s a Wonderful Life defeated Ernest Saves Christmas, Elf, Jingle All the Way, and Christmas in Connecticut to reach the final four where the story of George Bailey defeated Miracle on 34th Street in double overtime.

Onto the final: It’s a Wonderful Life vs. A Christmas Story:

Round 1The protagonist:

It’s a Wonderful Life: George BaileyGeorge’s best moment: Loans out money to Bedford Fallians to prevent Potter from taking over the building and loan. George’s worst moment: yells at his kids after Uncle Billy loses $8000.

A Christmas Story: Ralphie ParkerRalphie’s best moment: Saves his family from Black BartRalphie worst moment: He says THE word and it wasn’t fudge!

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. The everyman is just a tad more sympathetic than the everyboy.

Round 2The villain:

It’s a Wonderful Life: In the person of Mr. Potter and in the set of circumstances that keep George in Bedford Falls.

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. Mr. Potter (the very definition of evil) is the difference here. Potter to George: “Look at you! You used to be so cocky. You were going to go out and conquer the world. You once called me a warped frustrated old man. What are you but a warped frustrated young man? A miserable little clerk crawling in here on your hands and knees and begging for help…Why don’t you go to the riff raff you love so much. You know why? Because they’d run you out of town on a rail!”

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. McGavin is most funny as the long-suffering, cursing dad with the obsession for leg lamps, but he did steal the fra-jilly joke from The Marx Brothers. Nobody does nincompoop like Mitchell and nobody can order “Mull wine, heavy on the cinnamon, light on the cloves” like Travers.

Round 4Auteur curriculum vitæ:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Frank Capra directed Arsenic and Old Lace, Meet John Doe, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Lost Horizon, It Happened One Night, and You Can’t Take it With You. One of the most famous American directors with one of the most impressive resumes.

A Christmas Story: Bob Clark’s less impressive film output includes: Rhinestone, From the Hip, Porky’s I and II, Baby Geniuses I and II, and of course the TV movie classic Karate Dog.

Winner: A Christmas Story. Seems like a slam dunk for It's a Wonderful Life on paper, but since Mr. Clark dug so deep to come up with one classic within a career of such mediocrity, that I think even Mr. Capra would love this underdog story. Imagine Ed Wood pulling off Lawrence of Arabia.

Round 5Recreation of the era:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Most of the story is set in the 1940’s and the film was made in the 1940’s.

A Christmas Story: Entire story is set in the 1940’s

Winner: A Christmas Story. The recreation of a simpler time at a simpler age is what makes the film work. It may not be a fair comparison since It’s a Wonderful Life was set in its own time, but George Bailey knows that life is not fair.

Round 6Catchphrase:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Lots of candidates, but “Teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings” is probably the best. It’s certainly better than Sam Wainwright continually saying “HEE-HAW”

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. You’d think I’d know who wrote the screenplay for a movie I’ve seen twenty times, but I admit to having to look it up. As retribution I’m giving this to Frances and Albert. Sorry, Jean.

Round 8The strange cameo competition:

It’s a Wonderful Life. The guy that opens the gym floor to make George and Mary go into the water is Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer of Our Gang.

A Christmas Story: Ubiquitous screenwriter Jean Shepherd has the wonderful credit line of Man in line for Santa.

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. How can you beat getting dunked by Alfalfa! Sorry Jean, that’s 0-2.

Round 9Narrator wars:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Mostly Henry Travers as Clarence

A Christmas Story: Jean Shepard

Winner: A Christmas Story, Well Jean, your narration style that was later copied for The Wonder Years finally gives you a win.

Round 10Musical interlude:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Buffalo Girls

A Christmas Story: Deck the Halls from the Chinese restaurant.

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. As funny as “Deck the Halls with boughs of horry” is, Buffalo Girls is sung by George to woo Mary and later played as George asks Mary to marry him. George lassos the moon on this one.

Round 11Longevity award:

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Christmas classic since the advent of television

A Christmas Story: A Christmas classic since the advent of cable

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life: It may not be fair to punish A Christmas Story for only being under 30 years old, but you know-sometimes you get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas and sometimes you just got to drink your Ovaltine and like it!

Round 12Symbols:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Bedford Falls has Christmas lights, bells, carolers, a movie theater showing Bells of St. Mary’s, and the wonderful old Building and Loan.Pottersville has bars, blaring sirens, night clubs, pool halls, fights every Wednesday night, pawn brokers, girls-girls-girls burlesque, and a Dance Hall where Violet Bick gets picked up for prostitution!

A Christmas Story: The leg lamp or the bunny suit

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. But you got to admit that sometimes it’s more fun to live in Pottersville than Bedford Falls.

Round 13Hot mom award:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Donna Reed

A Christmas Story: Melinda Dillon

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. Melinda Dillon was much more attractive in other movies such as Slapshot and Close Encounters as she was a bit frumped up here to be believable as Darren McGavin’s wife. Donna Reed was at the height of her beauty here, at least when she’s not closing up the library!!!

Round 14Citation for scene disparaging to libraries:

It’s a Wonderful Life: When George asks Clarence where Mary is in the reality in which George was never born, Clarence informs him that the ultimate tragedy has happened: First she’s an old maid and even worse: “She’s closing up the library!” I’ve got to dock It’s a Wonderful Life for this one.

Winner: by default is A Christmas Story

Round 15Evilest teacher:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Mrs. Welch gets admonished by George when she checks on Zuzu. Mr. Welch later punches George. Should Mrs. Welch suffer for the sins of Mr. Welch?

Winner: A Christmas Story. Sorry, Mrs. Welch. Nobody punches out George Bailey and gets away with it! I'm giving this round to A Christmas Story just because I don't want to award Mr. Welch's unacceptable behavior!

Round 16Remake Problems:

It’s a Wonderful Life: I know I shouldn’t keep punishing for the sins of others, but the 1978 television remake with Marlo Thomas as the female equivalent of George Bailey and Cloris Leachman as the female equivalent of Clarence was just wrong and someone should be held responsible!

Winner: A Christmas Story, but I just found out it has a sequel of it’s own called It Runs in the Family from the 90’s. I’ve already awarded the round, so A Christmas Story may have gotten away with one here.

Round 17Unsympathetic authority figure:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Gower the druggist smacks George on his bad ear. Booooo!

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. Mr. Gower wins because he does become a good guy and a friend to George (Except in the world without George where he is an alcoholic child murderer!) Ahem. Wait a second. George isn’t born and Gower becomes a drunken psychopath? On second thought, A Christmas Story wins. Santa just doesn’t want him to shoot his eye out, after all. He doesn’t kill anybody!

Round 18I discovered it:

It’s a Wonderful Life: It’s just been around forever so gets no credit for discovery for me.

A Christmas Story: I was the one to discover this movie. Okay, not really. But I was one of the first to appreciate it. “Why wasn’t this more popular?” I said when it first came out. Now it is.

A Christmas Story: Ralphie’s friend sticks his tongue to a frozen flagpole.

Winner: A Christmas Story. Equally stupid thing for a kid to do, but funnier in A Christmas Story.

Round 20The ending:

It’s a Wonderful Life: George’s friends bail him out, his family embraces him and they sing Auld Lang Syne.

A Christmas Story: Ralphie dreams of making hip shots with his gun.

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life: A Christmas Story’s ending is OK. It’s a Wonderful Life’s ending might be the most inspirational ending in filmdom. A no-brainer for It’s a Wonderful Life.

Brent Musberger: And the winner in the definitive Christmas movie sweepstakes is…wait a minute, here comes Tiny Tim Cratchit and the Little Match Girl…What could they want? Tiny Tim seems to be trying to tell me something. Excuse me…we seem to have a new development. Little Match Girl, are you in agreement? All right then. Everyone grab hands. George, Ralphie, Uncle Billy, Mr. and Mrs. Parker, Bert, Ernie, Flick, Mary, Department Store Santa...come on out. Form a line.The final decision from these two adorable little children is that you the viewer need to find room in your holiday season for both of these Christmas classics.

Merry Christmas everybody! This is Brent Musberger reporting.

*This blog is a reprint from last year, but I couldn't think of anything else new to do for Christmas. Maybe next year.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

My niece, Kara Demetropoulos, has been staying in New York City as part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. She texted me some messages pertaining to what she was doing and also told be she saw the film Blue Velvet while she was up there. So I decided to watch this unusual film again and relate quotes from that movie to the texts she sent me as well as I could.

Kara: I’ve been dumpstering for food with a freegan I met. We dumpster for clothes, electronics, things we can sell, etc.Blue Velvet: Are you the one that found the ear?

Kara: Got out and marched on Wall Street.Blue Velvet: Here’s to an interesting experience…Man, I like Heineken!

Kara: Witnessed police brutality at its finest.Blue Velvet: Why does there have to be so much trouble in this world?

Kara: Now I’m staying with this really nice woman who is going to let me stay until I find a job and get my own place.Blue Velvet: In the dream, there was our world. And the world was dark because there weren’t any robins. And the robins represented love and for the longest time there was just this darkness. And all of a sudden, thousands of robins were set free. And they flew down and brought this blinding light of love And it seemed like that love would be the only thing that would make any difference. And it did.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Awhile back,. someone recommended I read the Charles Portis novel True Grit for my book group. After the success of the Coen Brothers new film version of the novel, an Audiotape version of Portis’s book was recorded for the first time. I listened to the reading. A fine rendering by Donna Tartt. I thought it was a simple, but involving story of a 14-year-old hiring a surly U. S. Marshall to help her get revenge on the man that killed her father.

Then I watched the 1969 version of the movie with John Wayne, which I had never seen before. I followed that by watching the Coen Brothers version, which is listed in the latest editiion of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.

After that, I listened to the book again. (It’s pretty short, only 6 discs in Books-on-CD speak.)

The night of my book group was a dark and stormy night. Only a couple of people showed up. Both had positive things to say about True Grit. One lady in my group was even inspired to purchase other books by Charles Portis. That made me glad.

As far as the movies go: I did appreciate the 1969 version. I’ve always found John Wayne rather hit or miss depending on his role, but this was truly a part he seemed to get his teeth into. He wasn’t playing John Wayne as he often did; he was the drunk, one-eyed U. S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn. But since Mattie Ross is the one telling the story, the success of the movie rides on her. Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, I liked very much.

I didn’t think the Coen Brothers version would be able to top it, but I liked it as well. It is interesting that though many parts of the new movie vary from the original, I was struck by how some scenes between the two movies were very similar. One example is the scene where Mattie negotiates with the businessman to take back the horses her daddy bought before he was killed and is a highlight of both movies. And the staging of the scene where Rooster rides against the four members of Ned Pepper’s seemed to be almost identical in the two films

But I can see by the clock on the wall that I need to pick a winner. And the winner is….Charles Portis’s book. Or at least the very least, the Book-on-CD version.

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About Me

I am a librarian hoping to gain inspiration from the greatest films of all-time. I am also seeking motivation to watch these films, many of which I’ve put off seeing for years. I like to think I have achieved both of these goals, at least to a degree.
I’m not a movie critic, though I do let an opinion slip out on occasion. I’m just trying to write where my motivation takes me. I’ll continue with it as long as the desire remains strong. The book I am using for my main guidance is "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die." I have the 5th edition, but there are newer editions out there.